Upstaged: Rubio, 'Gang of Eight' Unveil Bipartisan Immigration Reform Day Before Obama Speech

◼ A day before President Barack Obama is due to reveal his own immigration proposals in a speech in Las Vegas, NV, a bipartisan group of eight senators has announced a deal on the “outlines” of an immigration reform deal, according to Politico.

The “Gang of Eight,” which includes Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who has led the push from the Republican side, had been at work for weeks and unveiled its compromise on Capitol Hill today.

The deal includes several measures to improve border security, a core Republican demand, while also providing a “path to citizenship” for the 11 million illegal immigrants currently in the country, a core Democrat demand, with priority given to “Dreamers”--children who were brought to the country through no action of their own. The Senate proposal will also streamline the nation’s complex and contradictory immigration laws.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who led similar bipartisan efforts from 2005 through 2007, has described the emerging deal as similar to those he forged with Democrats then. Two things have changed. One is that Republicans are more eager to compromise, after a poor showing among Hispanic voters in the 2012 election. The other is that President Obama now sees more political advantage in passing a bill than blocking one.

As Breitbart News has previously reported, Obama spent eight years preventing any attempt at sensible immigration reform. As a Senator in 2005-6, he sat in on meetings about the legislation only to demand changes on behalf of the unions. Later, he helped kill a second attempt in 2007, sponsoring amendments designed to damage the bill’s prospects and cast a decisive vote against a guest worker program that sunk the effort.

Not once in his first term--not even with full control of Capitol Hill, and a brief filibuster-proof majority in the Senate--did President Obama propose immigration legislation, a violation of an explicit campaign promise....

◼ Senator Marco Rubio, Kevin McCullough; Update: Rubio says “I will not be part of a bill” that doesn’t guarantee enforcement - Ed Morrissey/HotAir

◼ Quotes of the day - Allahpundit/HotAir

◼ While GOP leaders push amnesty, Dems rope more immigrants into welfare state - Michelle Malkin

◼ Why Obama could be the biggest obstacle to an immigration deal - Matthew Cooper/National Journal

◼ Obama to offer more details, no bill - Politico